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How we reimburse you for APP scams

Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams are when a criminal tricks someone into making a bank transfer to them.

The Payment Systems Regulator introduced a regulatory requirement on 7 October 2024 to make sure, that in most cases, customers who become victims of APP scams are refunded.

Call us immediately on 159 if you think you've been a victim of a scam, even if you're not sure whether you'll be refunded.

On this page:

What is the difference between an APP scam and unauthorised payment fraud?

Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams

When a criminal tricks someone into making a bank transfer to them

There are many types of APP scams but they all involve a scammer impersonating someone. It could mean tempting you with a fake offer or tricking you into paying into an account controlled by a fraudster.

Common APP scams include:

  • impersonation scams
  • purchase scams
  • investment scams
  • romance scams
  • invoice and payment diversion scams

Unauthorised payment fraud

When money is taken without consent

These scams do not involve you making payments yourself, the scammer takes this without your consent.

Common unauthorised payment fraud include:

  • card transactions you did not make
  • online banking payments made by someone else
  • account takeover
  • cash withdrawals you did not authorise
  • payments made using stolen card details or security information

UK Finance reported that £576.4m was lost to APP scams in 2025. Find the different types of APP scams and the warning signs to look out for on our common scams page.

What’s covered by the APP Scam Reimbursement Regulations?

You will be covered for payments:

  • to UK accounts
  • made using Faster Payments (a quick way of sending money between bank accounts) or CHAPS
  • from personal accounts
  • from business accounts if made by:

    a) micro-enterprises - businesses, or parts of a group, with an annual turnover or balance sheet total under 2 million euros (or the equivalent in sterling) and fewer than 10 employees

    b) a charity whose annual income is less than 1 million pounds
  • There's no minimum amount you can claim for.
  • The maximum we’ll refund under the regulation is £85,000.
  • We reserve the right to apply a maximum of £100 excess for each claim.

What’s not covered by the APP Scam Reimbursement Regulations?

You will not be covered for payments:

  • to international accounts
  • from business accounts which are not owned by micro-enterprises or certain charities
  • where you acted fraudulently
  • where you were grossly negligent, as defined by the APP Scam Reimbursement Regulations
  • using BACS, cash, cheque, or a credit, debit or prepaid card
  • that are part of a civil dispute, such as if you have paid a genuine seller but you are not satisfied with what you have received
  • which are unlawful, such as for an illegal item
  • to and from an account with a credit union, municipal bank or national savings bank (state-owned savings bank in the UK)

Learn more about APP Scam Reimbursement Regulations.

If your claim isn't covered by the APP Scam Reimbursement Regulations, you should still contact us. We'll review what happened and explain what support may be available.

How to report APP scams

Call us immediately on 159 if you think you've been a victim of a scam, even if you're not sure whether you'll be refunded. We review each report on a case-by-case basis in line with industry standards.

You must report an APP scam as soon as you can, and no more than 13 months after the last fraudulent payment was made to be eligible under the APP Scam Reimbursement Regulations.

If your claim isn't covered by the APP Scam Reimbursement Regulations, we'll still review it. And we'll explain what support may be available to you.

To find more about reporting fraud, visit our:

What happens when I report fraud?

We'll review your case and may ask for additional information. Please respond to any requests promptly. This can help us investigate more quickly.

Depending on the type of fraud, we may ask for:

  • details of unauthorised transactions
  • copies of emails
  • information about how the scam happened

We may also ask you to report the fraud to the police. If you agree, we can do this on your behalf.

When will I know the outcome?

We'll investigate your claim as quickly as possible and keep you updated throughout the process.

How long it takes depends on the type of fraud and the information we need to review.

Once we've made a decision, we'll explain:

  • the outcome
  • whether you're eligible for a refund
  • what options are available to you

In most cases when you report an APP scam to us, we'll refund your account within 5 business days. In rare cases, we may need more time to investigate but we'll provide an outcome within 35 business days.

How to protect yourself from fraud

To help protect yourself, make sure you always:

  • follow our fraud warnings and guidance, such as alerts that the payment you're making could be fraud
  • take the actions we recommend when trying to make a payment to make sure you’re not being scammed - make sure you do this before attempting to make the payment again

Explore more ways you can protect yourself from fraud

Get help

Report fraud or a scam

Lost or stolen card

Question a transaction

Latest scam alerts

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